Windows 11 runs better than ever on a Steam Deck OLED, but it still doesn’t matter
Windows on Deck improves on Valve’s latest handheld variant, but converting portable gamers is a pipedream.
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The world’s most popular gaming handheld is an accolade still firmly held by Valve’shighly-praised Steam Deck, and the latest variant has proven ever popular sinceupgrading its screen to an OLED display. It’s a couple of years old, launching in February 2022, but the plucky portable console keeps trucking on with regular updates to itsLinux-based operating system. However, its developers weren’t opposed to its usersinstalling whatever OS they wantedfrom day one, including thelatest builds of Windows 11.
After all, the Steam Deck is a regular, if ultra-compact, PC. It uses a relatively standard andmanually upgradeable solid-state drive, which users can wipe clean toinstall Windows 11 on the Deckif theyreallywant to. It works well if you’re willing to tinker with some settings and optimize the experience, but it’s still a far cry from the experiences of competing handhelds likeASUS' excellent ROG Ally XandLenovo’s innovative Legion Go, both designed for Microsoft’s OS from the start.
Hello WinDeck fans! We’ve just shipped APU, Audio, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth drivers for Windows on Steam Deck OLED. You can find the updated drivers and notes here: https://t.co/zjU2UbJhz8If you’re planning to install Windows, please make sure you have the latest BIOS from SteamOS… pic.twitter.com/mgrLL2QIN5August 15, 2024
Valve continues to support Windows on Deck performance with an open-minded attitude as it delivers a series of driver and BIOS updates for the Steam Deck OLED, the latest of whichdropped on August 15, 2024. There isn’t anything particularly revolutionary, and the WinDeck experience won’t suddenly become any better than it was, but drivers loaded with bug fixes are always welcome. Downloading each file might also be tedious, but it’s worth it for stability.
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Can we dual-boot Windows 11 with SteamOS yet?
Nope. Not officially, anyway. Valvestill explainsthat migrating to Windows 11 on your Steam Deck, whether theprice-dropped LCD modelor new OLED refresh, requires a complete wipe of the internal storage. The importance of a first-party dual-boot wizard doesn’t seem that high for Valve, as it was supposed to emerge alongside SteamOS 3, and we’re currently on version 3.5.19, so I wouldn’t hold your breath for the opportunity to install Microsoft’s operating systems alongsideValve’s default fork of Arch Linux.
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We might eventually see dual-boot support with the fabledSteam Deck 2, especially since Valve appears to be opening up official SteamOS support for third-party gaming handhelds like ASUS' ROG Ally.
It would at least save us fromuser-made efforts to port SteamOS to the ROG Ally, but whether that leads to more robust support for a Windows 11 partition on your original Steam Deck remains to be seen.
No matter how much support Valve gives for Windows 11 on Steam Deck, I can’t envision a future where most portable gamers choose it over the default SteamOS. Not even therecent Compact Mode update to the Xbox Game Baris enough to convince me to format the internal storage of my OG Deck, and the prospect of permanently switching just for a light handful of games isn’t matching the convenience of Valve’s in-house operating system.
Still, I keep abootable version of Windows 11 on a microSD cardfor the times when Linux just isn’t cutting it for specific needs, and I’m always happy to see Valve supporting Windows on Deck — even with the tiresome post-install tasks ofremoving Microsoft’s bloatthat come with the standard Windows 11 ISO. A dedicated Windows 11 variant built for gaming handhelds might be a pipedream, but I’m a dreamer.
Ben is a Senior Editor at Windows Central, covering everything related to technology hardware and software. He regularly goes hands-on with the latest Windows laptops, components inside custom gaming desktops, and any accessory compatible with PC and Xbox. His lifelong obsession with dismantling gadgets to see how they work led him to pursue a career in tech-centric journalism after a decade of experience in electronics retail and tech support.
